Low bridge to obstruct Turag traffic

The LGED continues building this Bailey bridge on the Turag to connect Tongi-Ashulia bypass and a housing project -- Pratyasha -- violating the Dhaka Master Plant. Once built, the bridge will impede river traffic. Photo: Anisur RahmanPinaki Roy

The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) ignoring objections by Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) continues constructing a low bailey bridge, which, once built, would obstruct traffic movement on the Turag river.

Sources in Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) say the Dhaka Master Plan doesn't include the bailey bridge. But LGED is building it to connect the Tongi-Ashulia bypass and Pratyasha, a housing project of the administration cadre officials of Bangladesh Civil Service.

The housing project itself is also not approved by Rajuk, the sources added.

Officials at BIWTA say they have so far sent 14 letters of complaint to LGED on the length and height of the bridge as it would "impede" the river traffic during rainy season and stop implementation of Dhaka's circular waterway project.

"The bridge will be a permanent obstacle to the river traffic. Even country boats and sand carrying low-height cargo boats won't be able to operate on the river on completion of the bridge," comments an executive engineer of BIWTA.

The bailey bridge should be at least 100 feet in length and 25 feet in height for smooth movement of vessels, but LGED is making it only four feet high from the highest water level and 80 feet in length, the engineer adds asking not to be named.

Khorshed Hasan, executive engineer of Dhaka Division LGED, said, "They should not have any objection against a bailey bridge as it is transferable anytime. The plan was to make an RCC [rod, cement, concrete] bridge, but now we're making a bailey bridge there.

"They could have objected if we were making an RCC bridge," he said, claiming BIWTA "allowed" them to construct the bailey bridge.

However, BIWTA officials dismissed the claim.

BIWTA sources said they have sent the 14th letter to LGED on November 6, requesting them to stop the construction of the bridge. Earlier, the shipping ministry and BIWTA sent them six letters each and secretary of the planning ministry sent another letter requesting the same.

On a recent visit it was seen that the construction of the bridge is almost complete and even a country boat can merely pass under the bridge during this lean period.

"It would be impossible when the water will increase during the monsoon," said a local.

The BIWTA sources say LGED is ignoring their objections as the bureaucrats are influencing the LGED.

A protocol officer of former prime minister Khaleda Zia is one of the members of the project who influenced the LGED and BIWTA offices to make the bridge as a government project, they add.

They say the admin officials close to the government are now using their influence to that end.

The Pratyasha Housing Project has around 400 members of the BCS (administration) cadre service.

"Though the prime minister has directed everyone concerned to save the rivers and keep those navigable, they are violating it," says the BIWTA engineer.

"Each time we file a fresh objection they stop the work and start again after a few days," he says, adding the water flow is not so strong in the Turag during lean period and this bridge will kill the river completely.

Most of the bridges LGED has built on the rivers and canals around the capital are lower than the standard and no river remains navigable during the rainy season when the water level goes high.

Even the Third Buriganga Bridge at Basila has been built at least two metres below its vertical clearance requirement.

On the navigability issue, Khorshed Hasan of LGED said the main problem of the Turag river is encroachment. "You go and see yourself how the river is grabbed. River grabbing has to be stopped first," he said.

During a recent visit to the spot, it was seen workers were busy constructing the Bailey bridge.

Locals say every afternoon several private vehicles are parked on the Tongi-Ashulia highway as different top- and mid-level government officials and their families come to visit their plots.

This bridge will help them cross the river and go to their housing project, locals say.

Pratyasha Housing Project is located in Mudafa village in Tongi, Gazipur, on the other side of the river. Members of the housing project now go there through Cherag Ali Bazar in Tongi.